Coco Gauff, of the United States, reacts during a match against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

By HOWARD FENDRICH | AP Tennis Writer

NEW YORK — Naomi Osaka smiled before her U.S. Open showdown against Coco Gauff began Monday — and after it ended. Between points, Osaka patted her left thigh and quietly told herself, almost in a whisper: “Come on. Come on.”

Once the ball was in play, Osaka’s strokes were loud and on-target, producing the sort of confident, consistent and power-swinging tennis that carried her to four Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking.

In the biggest statement yet that she is back at the height of her game, and a real contender for the sport’s hig

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